The day of my birth falls on the exact day that Hitler's life ended. I feel that this is important, but I don't know why.
This year, it also just so happened that the Pioneer Woman visited my city on my birthday. A little history: ThePioneerWoman.com began as a blog by a woman named Ree Drummond about life on the ranch that became her home when she decided to leave her city-slicker life and marry a rancher.
The Pioneer Woman outlines her love story in a now published memoir called Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. I started reading her blog a year or so before I started my own, and she quickly became my inspiration and motivation.
So when I found out she was coming to my city on a book tour for her second cookbook, on my birthday no less, I had to get tickets. I sucked my best friend Agent A into the plan (it's easy to get your best friend to do what you want on your birthday) and last Monday evening, babysitter for Dragon Boy arranged, away we went.
As we waited in the quickly filling auditorium, A occupied herself counting the number of men in the audience. I think we were up to twelve at last official count.
The audience appeared to be mostly comprised of middle-aged women and we joked about how we are almost there. It's true, on the drive over, we discussed child-rearing and whether or not it was too late in the day to drink caffeine.
And then she came out on stage, the Pioneer Woman in the flesh...the woman who's life I've been vicariously living for years. She actually has a semi-serious case of stage fright, and so she brought a nice powerpoint presentation to take us on a visit to her life...her kids, her dogs, and of course, Marlboro Man, her sexy ranch man husband. Note: Marlboro Man is not his real name (gasp! I know) but, I believe, alludes to his resemblance to the stereotypical rugged cowboy rather than a tobacco addiction.
ThePioneerWoman has come a long way since its inception as the humble blog of a woman out on the prairie. There are now separate pages for the categories of photography, cooking, homeschooling, and home and garden. I stop by the site from time to time, but just thinking about keeping up with all the latest makes me want to go take a nap.
Mrs. Drummond wrapped up her talk by singing "Endless Love" to a picture of her basset hound, Charlie. It was really touching.
(Note: Charlie does not usually wear glasses.)
Afterward, there was a book signing, but we didn't stay. I'm not much into book signings. I felt a little goofy being there, to be honest.
I've never been very good at being star-struck, though I can attribute several of my blog "techniques" to the PW. For example, I've adopted her habit of making up handles for her friends and loved ones; she has Cowboy Josh, I have Little Gen. And these names become regulars, recognizable and memorable because they generally incorporate characteristics of the people they denote.
It was still daylight when we left the auditorium, and since we already had a babysitter, we decided not to waste a perfectly good opportunity for girls night out.
Here is more or less what followed...
We ordered...
We drank....one drink each...
And then Agent A snapped this photo...
This year, it also just so happened that the Pioneer Woman visited my city on my birthday. A little history: ThePioneerWoman.com began as a blog by a woman named Ree Drummond about life on the ranch that became her home when she decided to leave her city-slicker life and marry a rancher.
The Pioneer Woman outlines her love story in a now published memoir called Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. I started reading her blog a year or so before I started my own, and she quickly became my inspiration and motivation.
So when I found out she was coming to my city on a book tour for her second cookbook, on my birthday no less, I had to get tickets. I sucked my best friend Agent A into the plan (it's easy to get your best friend to do what you want on your birthday) and last Monday evening, babysitter for Dragon Boy arranged, away we went.
As we waited in the quickly filling auditorium, A occupied herself counting the number of men in the audience. I think we were up to twelve at last official count.
The audience appeared to be mostly comprised of middle-aged women and we joked about how we are almost there. It's true, on the drive over, we discussed child-rearing and whether or not it was too late in the day to drink caffeine.
And then she came out on stage, the Pioneer Woman in the flesh...the woman who's life I've been vicariously living for years. She actually has a semi-serious case of stage fright, and so she brought a nice powerpoint presentation to take us on a visit to her life...her kids, her dogs, and of course, Marlboro Man, her sexy ranch man husband. Note: Marlboro Man is not his real name (gasp! I know) but, I believe, alludes to his resemblance to the stereotypical rugged cowboy rather than a tobacco addiction.
ThePioneerWoman has come a long way since its inception as the humble blog of a woman out on the prairie. There are now separate pages for the categories of photography, cooking, homeschooling, and home and garden. I stop by the site from time to time, but just thinking about keeping up with all the latest makes me want to go take a nap.
Mrs. Drummond wrapped up her talk by singing "Endless Love" to a picture of her basset hound, Charlie. It was really touching.
(Note: Charlie does not usually wear glasses.)
Afterward, there was a book signing, but we didn't stay. I'm not much into book signings. I felt a little goofy being there, to be honest.
I've never been very good at being star-struck, though I can attribute several of my blog "techniques" to the PW. For example, I've adopted her habit of making up handles for her friends and loved ones; she has Cowboy Josh, I have Little Gen. And these names become regulars, recognizable and memorable because they generally incorporate characteristics of the people they denote.
It was still daylight when we left the auditorium, and since we already had a babysitter, we decided not to waste a perfectly good opportunity for girls night out.
Here is more or less what followed...
We ordered...
And then Agent A snapped this photo...
...of me eating a green chile cheeseburger.
And then we went home, because when you are thirty-two, a blog celebrity, a cosmo and a cheeseburger is a wild night.
OneArmGirl
